This devastating accident happened on Friday, July 26, 2025, leaving toddler Imananinziza Imbahafi Olivier hospitalized in Gisenyi General Hospital. Olivier, approaching his second birthday on August 19, 2025, is receiving medical care for critical injuries caused by the accident. However, his family desperately needs financial help to sustain his treatment.
How It Happened
According to his mother, Musingakazi Emeline, the accident occurred while she was away trying to earn a living. Olivier was left at home under the care of a 13-year-old boy tasked with cooking porridge. The teenager accidentally spilled the boiling porridge on Olivier while adding sugar to the saucepan.
Musingakazi explained, "I don’t know precisely what happened, but the 13-year-old panicked, abandoned the house, and ran to hide near a river, convinced his actions had doomed him. He couldn’t be found initially but was later discovered sitting silently near the water."
The mother revealed her family’s dire financial constraints, relying solely on what she earns as a street vendor. “My children only eat when I succeed in selling something. If I don’t sell, there’s no food," she lamented.
Medical Challenges
Olivier’s critical condition requires ongoing medical treatment, which has already burdened the family financially. He has been prescribed costly medications, including one priced at RWF 50,000, with others costing RWF 15,000 and RWF 25,000. Unable to afford some of the prescribed medicines, Musingakazi had to look for alternative solutions. She added, “They treated him around 4 PM, removed his damaged skin, and began intensive care for his injuries.”
Family’s Plea for Support
A member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Musingakazi appeals to Rwandans with compassionate hearts to assist her family. She requests help through prayers, financial aid, or donations of basic necessities like medicine. Supporters can reach out to her via phone at 0784671863.
Efforts to contact local authorities from Nyamyumba Sector and Rubona Cell proved unsuccessful. While a local community leader noted that the mother isn’t widely known in the area, they promised to follow up on the incident.
Parents appeal for aid after their toddler suffers severe burns in a porridge accident.
Despite doctors providing necessary care, the family struggles with unaffordable medical costs.
Author: Jean d'Amour Habiyakare